Photovoltaic solar energy collection devices used to generate electric power generally include flat-panel collectors and concentrating solar collectors. Flat collectors generally include PV cell arrays and associated electronics formed on semiconductor (e.g., monocrystalline silicon or polycrystalline silicon) substrates, and the electrical energy output from flat collectors is a direct function of the area of the array, thereby requiring large, expensive semiconductor substrates. Concentrating solar collectors reduce the need for large semiconductor substrates by concentrating light beams (i.e., sun rays) using, e.g., a parabolic reflectors or lenses that focus the beams, creating a more intense beam of solar energy that is directed onto a small PV cell. Thus, concentrating solar collectors have an advantage over flat-panel collectors in that they utilize substantially smaller amounts of semiconductor. Another advantage that concentrating solar collectors have over flat-panel collectors is that they are more efficient at generating electrical energy.
A problem with conventional concentrating solar collectors is that they are expensive to operate and maintain. The reflectors and/or lenses used in conventional collectors to focus the light beams are produced separately, and must be painstakingly assembled to provide the proper alignment between the focused beam and the PV cell. Further, over time, the reflectors and/or lenses can become misaligned due to thermal cycling or vibration, and become dirty due to exposure to the environment. Maintenance in the form of cleaning and adjusting the reflectors/lenses can be significant, particularly when the reflectors/lenses are produced with uneven shapes that are difficult to clean.
Another problem associated with conventional concentrating solar collectors is damage to the PV cell and mirror structure due to the excessive temperatures generated by the focused light. For reliable operation it is essential to keep the PV cell and its surrounding packaging within safe limits, which is typically well under 100 degrees Celsius (100° C.). Because flat plate photovoltaic modules are exposed to direct (i.e., unfocused) solar light, the temperature rise of most flat plate photovoltaic modules under peak isolation is about 25° C. above ambient in zero wind, which produces a maximum PV cell temperature of about 70° C. (i.e., assuming an ambient temperature of 45° C.). In contrast, concentrating solar collectors produce flux densities of 300 to over 1000 suns at the PV cell, with typically less than half of the energy is converted into electricity and the remainder occurring as heat, producing PV cell temperatures that can reach well above 100° C. A conventional approach to reducing peak PV cell temperatures in concentrating solar collectors includes using a forced liquid cooling system to cool the PV cell, but such forced liquid cooling systems are expensive to produce and maintain, thus significantly increasing the overall production and operating costs of such concentrating solar collectors.
What is needed is a concentrator PV (CPV) device that avoids the expensive assembly and maintenance costs associated with conventional concentrator-type PV cells, and also maintains the CPV device within reliable operating temperatures in a cost effective and reliable manner.